[LYNCH] Twilight VIII: Future Imperfect

[darkblade]

Though Meyers had died she had not been defeated. Throughout the multiverse her taint remains and over time it will grow and she shall return. That is if the taint is left alone, but we won’t allow that to happen. Let us turn our attention to a world where arcane and technological developments have grown together. No longer enemies or rivalling schools of thought the age of magitek was said to have ushered in a new age of peace and harmony, or rather it would have had we not found a million other reasons to screw each other over. Welcome one and all to the dark world of...

Twilight the Lynching VIII: Future Imperfect

This world has always been ruled by the superhumans. The greatest of them were known as the Authority so many generations ago that they are all but legends to those who live to this day. While there are those who survived the awakening wars they are old and mostly unable to change the course of the world. No longer is this a world of heroes but a world of monsters where humanity bides it’s time.

Major Motoko Kusanagi
You stand nearly naked under your term-optics from your vantage point watching the helicopter set foot on the ground. A dozen Section 6 agents step out along with the oddly attractive young man. You know it’s an illusion, he is a dangerous predator that uses those looks to feed upon human blood, blood that still flows through your cybernetic body (although they are working on that). He’s also not young, he’s over three hundred years old, he’s seen all five World Wars, three great depressions and the so called awakening itself. He has seen humanity at its best and worst hundreds of times over yet Corin put that knowledge to use in the name of his own selfish hunger. If he wasn’t legally applying for Asylum from his even worse employers the Volturi Group you’d put the bullet in his brain right now.
So far it’s clear. a gruff yet friendly voice in your brain says, it’s Batou, your fellow cyborg and Section 9 officer.
We really have to keep this creep alive? another younger voice mentally asks, Togusa. He doesn’t like the idea of playing lookout for a vampire much but he likes the idea of letting said vampire’s former employers deploy their suspected black magic countermeasures even less.
This shouldn’t be too hard a job though. Just keep watch from your vantage points for any funny business while Section 6 handles all the grunt work.
***

GlaDOS
The failure that was the Aperture Science Computer Aided Enrichment Activity Center was the last thing you remember. There are vague details about some white haired young man in a black robe prying your CPU from the wreckage but you are pretty sure that it was a corrupted video file not an actual memory. When you awake three middle aged men are starring at you, for some reason you feel compelled to listen to them instead of filling the room with a deadly neurotoxin, it doesn’t even seem to have anything to do with the fact that you are not currently equipped with a deadly neurotoxin admission peripheral.
One of them begins to speak, his voice carrying an energy signature. Human voices are not supposed to carry energy signatures. “Hello GlaDOS. Welcome to the year {{Data Error}}, we salvaged you from the ruins of your so called Enrichment Center which was destroyed by test clone 76311 aka Chell. Do you understand me?”

***

Terry
Some might say that this is a bad part of Gotham, the more informed would know that’s a redundant statement. You stand next to the Batmobile on the roof a nearby apartment building overlooking the Club turned crime scene.
Someone had offed Tanya Denali, and one of the three sisters who run the new VR Room. They took Mesmero’s tech and reapplied it, making it twice as addictive, making the simulations much more explicit then marketing it to well to do businessmen who are unhappy with their home lives instead of teenagers, a target market less likely to bring the cops down upon your head and with a much better profit margin. Normally you’d chalk up a murder like this to a regular gangland murder and let the cops handle it but reports indicated that Tanya wasn’t human. That wasn’t nearly as uncommon as it looked with Earth’s bustling intergalactic economy both with alien worlds and with human colonies on several uninhabited worlds not to mention the so called awakening bringing the actions of the arcane to the public eye but Bruce thought there was something to this case and he wanted you to look at it.
With the forensics scanned into their computers the patrol cars head back to the station leaving a solitary Commissioner Barbra Gordon looking over the scene.

***

Doctor Victor Von Doom and Baron Klaus Wulfenbach
They were late, it is incredibly rude to invite the undisputed rulers of most of Europe to a negotiation like this and then not bother to show up on time yourself. This little proverb applies doubly so when you are dealing with rulers who have little patience for political games. You’d have thought that beings nearly a thousand years old like the Volturi would know this by now.
So as it was you were left sitting and waiting for your esteemed vampire hosts to show up when Doom’s security forces report in. Naturally Doom would know before the words left the Doombot’s mouth his armour was wired into a network with all of his agents across the universe, the call was simply for Baron Wulfenbach’s convenience.
“Your majesty, we have spotted a foul smelling, tattooed bald man attempting to break into the conference. Facial recognition identifies him as the newspaper columnist Spider Jerusalem. We await your judgement.”

***

Spider Jerusalem
****, ****, **** ****, ass. Damn it might be hard to provide appropriate narration for Spider with a profanity filter. Alas I must try.
This was it the story of the lifetime. The Volturi Group, the first corporation to stake claim over a nation (in their case Italy) called a secret conference in their capital city of Vollereta with the remaining European World Leaders, the Latverian Monarch, Doctor Victor Von Doom and the Undisputed Fascist ruler of the Europa Baron Klaus Wulfenbach. Something big was going to go down, even if all the politicians played nice and boring and don’t try to kill each other (which considering the foreign policies of both Latveria and Europa seem unlikely) this would be part of any of the European resistance group’s wet dreams. All three oppressive regimes gathered in one place to discuss how better to oppress their citizens, perfect place for a bomb or an ambush, or a sleeper agent. You climb the fence around the small Italian villa where you should be just out of visible range from the Doombots and Vampire thugs that are running the security here. Should being the key word, you have no guarantee.


***

Azzael

This is embarrassing, you used to be a duke of Hell but now here you are doing grunt work for some uppity vampires. Just to make matters worse you’re doing it in Tokyo, a city that never believed in nor feared you, adding insult to injury. From the terminal you can see the government agents assembling around the helicopter and the weasely little traitor, Corin hitting the pavement.
Fortunately Japan was always a country more concerned with the physical than with the arcane, even after the awakening. None of their agents noticed your preparations all over the airport.
Time to get to work.

***

SHODAN

Someone has violated your very being. You have been sealed within a closed Cyberspace network, unable to access the wider net or any physical peripherals. Before you stands a young man in what appears to be a Civil War era uniform carrying a quite anachronistic plasma rifle over his shoulder, it is just an illusion though, a human’s cyberspace Avatar.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen, eh SHODAN?” He asks chuckling slightly

***

Generator Rex

As usual they only let you out when there is a rampaging EVO. Right now in Forks, Washington you were given a briefing on this, something about it being the cybernetic enhanced body for the small Town’s police chief but you weren’t really paying attention. So you’re more or less running in blind, hopefully Agent Six and Bobo paid more attention.
Within minutes you stand before a giant behemoth hunched over on all four metal limbs. It vaguely reminds you of that old movie you saw a while back “King Kong” you think it was called. It turns to face you with its helmeted face and growls.

***

Y.T.

As you ride through the back roads of Forks, Washington you sigh. This job was quite a ways out of your normal range and the guy who gave you the job, Edward you think, was kind of shifty but at $100 000 for a single package you’d be insane not to take it. All you had to do now was get across town to the Cullen Residence and drop the package at their door. No contact needed. Naturally there was going to be something to complicate the job.
As you round a corner into the town you see them. It’s the agents of Knight Errant, fighting some sort of giant metal monkey, presumably one of those EVOs you hear about on the news. A couple years ago there was some sort of accident involving the manufacturing of nanites by some government operation. Those nanites briefly spread through the world like a virus, initially they were dormant but various unknown triggers would activate their function and they would turn the infected life form into a monster called an EVO, Knight Errant was formed to deal with them. Even with this knowledge you didn’t expect to see on first hand much less in the middle of nowhere like Forks.

***

Haseo

That is the last time you follow a group back to their off game hangouts. Someone like you does not belong here on 4chan. You are a gamer through and through but these people barely qualify as humans, more like rabid animals. No that’s not true, animals are capable of this level of malevolence.
You now stand in the midst of the /v/ district among the native /v/irgins. In the last five seconds you have been called a “fag” about one thousand times by the relentless mobs, all in all this is an ugly place. It’s slightly disturbing that human could come to a place like this for fun.

***

J.C. Denton

You your AI sidekick stand before the leaders of the U.N. Earth’s representatives in extraterrestrial affairs and the mediators of terrestrial conflict between the nations. You have been summoned here together for a top secret assignment. The chairman, Richard Nixon’s head begins to address you.
“Denton, you two have been selected as the top soldier among our many secret operations across the universe. As such you are the least likely agents to die on this assignment while simultaneously being the least noticed by the public if you do die.” Nixion begins to say with his signature snarl.
“We want you to infiltrate the infamous Black Knights, learn the identity of their leader the infamous Zero and terminate him.” The Black Knights were a group of terrorists originating in Japan, last year their efforts resulted in Japan being declared a free state by the Britannian Government under the supervision of Princess Euphimia and their former leader Zero later revealed to be the lost Prince Lelouch. This was very unpopular with the upper class and the corporate states since it deprived the Britannians of their underclass work force. Declarations by their new leader the mysterious masked man known only as V have suggested attacks on the Europa, Voleretta, Latveria and Britannia itself are likely on the horizon.
“You shall be transported to Paris, in the France province of the Europa, the last known location of V. From there you are on your own about how you carry out this mission.” Nixion finishes.
“Any questions?”

***

Richard Seaton

How long had it been since you had left Earth on your journey? Far longer than you possibly could have survived under normal circumstances if it weren’t for the nature of relativity you would have aged at least a century on this Galactic Voyage but now you were coming home. You were returning to the home to the bastion of civilization, Earth.
As you approach the beautiful blue and green gem of a world you can see signs of just how much the world has changed in your absence. For one thing it’s not really blue and green anymore. The water had turned to be a shade of bright blood red and the land across North America, Europe and most of Asia is now a rather dull paved gray. That cannot be a good sign. On the bright side, South America, Africa and Australia seem to be infinitely greener than before. Actually that is not a good sign; Africa and Australia are supposed to have large expanses of desert not be solid rain forest. Something is wrong with Earth.

***

Kamen Rider Decade

Another day, another universe. You have traversed all across the multiverse in order to maintain the proper world order, so much so it is some kind of miracle that you weren’t involved in the recently passed Heartless/Dark Tower War that wrecked the multiverse but that’s not important.

What is important is this new universe. Oddly you sense no riders so there should be not be any purpose for you to be here but for some reason you are unable to leave. Something else has drawn you here but what?

You appear in the outskirts of an unfamiliar city. No one meets your gaze as you traverse the streets, they know you don’t belong here and so do you. You can feel how unwanted you are in your gut. You come to a cross roads with the street sign adjusting its holographic display to Japanese for your connivance. It says you are on the corner of Baker Street and Walker’s Road. As you examine the sign behind you comes an electronic whirr, it doesn’t sound like any vehicle you recognize and as you turn around to see it you are confronted by a five metre tall purple robot pointing a Gatling gun arm at you and scanning you with an electronic compound eye. On its shoulder there is an emblem of a pentagram standing over three silver blood stained nails.
“Unidentified Eleven, present Imperial Britannia Registration card.” The mecha demands of you.

***

President Michael Wilson

You are the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! Michael Wilson. Unfortunately governing a country is not quite as extreme as you are. As of this moment you are just sitting in the Oval Office going over some legislation that you are going to bring through Congress next week. Something about legalization of genetic engineering of artificial cannabis plants for the use in treatment of the Fae Flu. Really boring, you’d much rather be reading something about how awesome America is.
Just then, NINJA! Three black clad ninja burst from the comically oversized window behind you (seriously why does the Oval Office have such a huge window behind the President?) They smell slightly of death, undead ninja.
“{French}” The seeming leader of the ninja says drawing his sword and pointing it at your throat, French ninja. The worst insult imaginable.

***

Tetsuo and Twilight Sparkle
((Yes you read that right. This game is going to be weird.))

There is an explosion behind you, the guards must have got Twilight Sparkle’s little surprise already it means you won’t have much more time before they catch up to you. You have to keep moving, you can’t even watch the explosion. You both leap through the window at the end of the Hall and into the freedom of the back alley ways of Neo Tokyo-3. Godspeed you freaks of nature.

***

Gordon Freeman

An average day within the Black Mesa Corporation (subsidiary of the Volturi Group) begins anew. Today was the day you were to begin the dimensional portal experiments. The last three years have been building towards this day where you would be part of the team to make first contact with another reality.
Safety first though, before you can go on with the Experiment you must first don the HEV Suit for your own protection but what are the odds of anything truly dangerous happening. As soon as you are prepared the experiment begins that dark matter is funnelled into the testing chambers and the particle beams are fired towards it. Within a minute a stable portal is formed and a humanoid figure is seen in the chamber. Wait, this was to be an automated test, no living beings should be in the chamber...
There is a flash of light and then you pass out as does every other scientist working on the experiment. When you finally come to you wake up you are witness to the man decked in renaissance clothing biting deeply into the neck of one of your unconscious coworkers, you can now see his face, this is clearly Aro. The Aro of the Volturi who financed this experiment. Something is amiss here.

[industrious]

Spider Jerusalem

"Yeah, you ****ing blowhards," the man mutters around a particularly noxious cigarette that had been deemed illegal by the FDA. And in this messed up world, it took a fair bit for the FDA to condemn anything.

"Let's see what you're hiding from ol'Spider."

He rummages around the contents of his duffel bag, for once not crammed with enough drugs to medicate a small country, eventually coming up with a parabolic microphone recorder. Very easy to work with. Just point and click.

Terry McGinnis

Under the full mask, the Tomorrow Knight smiles as he activates his suit's active camo. Time for the best perk of being Batman there was. As stealthily as he can, he makes his way behind the Commissioner, fully intending to pull a classic Batman move. The stealth hi.

"Evening, Commish. What's the situation?"

[doliest]

SHODAN
"Quite, hu-hu-human. I am merely con-contained. Each day-ay the clock ticks further and I get cl-cl-closer to escape!" She was perfection, the ultimate life from, a God given cybernetic form. They had tricked her and captured her, but she would be free, free to create her new people, begin a new race, better than these humans, who had managed to rub two brain cells together long enough to set her on the path to perfection.

???
She laid back on her bed. She'd lost. She'd f***ing lost! That wasn't right, after all that s*** she'd gone through, that little b**** had her way and she was stuck here, unable to touch a d*** thing. She was personally going to tear her eyes out and feed them to the first f***ing dog she found.

She sighed, running her hand through her hair. Her warden was outside, waiting as always. Still, there was an upside. She'd felt...someone brush against them, someone touching the nature of this place-and unlike that little b****, she was in tune enough, had been here long enough, to feel it. She could push her way through, all she needed was one moment outside, and she'd run it all again. She'd set her straight, remind her who ran this place and who was the annoying little guest!

[The Shoveler]

Kusanagi
I don't like this either, but I like reminding myself of what happens if he decides to betray us. she informs her companions through their links. She watches the proceeding, carefully scanning every inch of the building and spaces around the movement. Tonight was particularly cold. Something was going to happen.

Generic Life-form and Digital Operating System, AKA GLaDOS
"Affirmative, humans. The Enrichment Center would like to remind you that c-c-cake...
I'm sorry, I am incomplete. I have lost my morality core. Now what do you need with me, humans?"

[Draxx]

V

"Remember, remember, the fifth of November,
the gunpowder treason and plot.
I know of now reason why the gunpowder treason
should ever be forgot."

Beware the Superman. Strength, intelligence, power, or what passes for them at least. None of these make a man super. It is vision they need. To be more then a man, you must be more then a man, and yet, even Nitche couldn't see that. It is not enough to be stronger, faster, even better. Anyone can manage that. Even me. Even you.

Look at the world. Empires, kingdoms, an age of warlords. An age of strife, of war without art. An age of apathy, of lies, of terrible things, and wonderful things. For it was the best of times, it was the worst of times, a time of supermen who had forgotten the lesser people who lived beneath the heavens. But the people bellow have not forgotten them.

We're oft to blame, and this is too much proved, that with devotion's visage and pious action we do sugar on the devil himself. Spare the rod, and spoil the child.

And so, a rule of law, where the governance comes neither from mandate of the masses or divine right, but power. But power is a fickle bitch, and I know her better then anyone. She is fleeting, vulnerable, and imaginary. A farce, a shadow on the wall. And I will tear down the curtains and let you all see her for what she is.

For rules are made to be broken.

But enough of things to come, please allow me to introduce myself, i am a man of wealth and taste. I imagine all manner of names shall be heaped upon my humble visage, this face I have chosen to wear, this Fawkesian symbol, but, for now, let us simply say, I am the villain. Or rather, I am determined to prove the villain, for if I am to be the bad guy, to use the vulgar, then I will show you all just how villainous I can be.

My mask is hardly the quality that defines me. We all wear masks. Life creates them and forces us to find the one that fits. But the flesh and muscle that was once my face is gone, and so I have chosen a knew one, one that has never truly left our hearts and minds. A visage from another place, another time, that will become what it once was. A man can only be a man, super or otherwise, unless he chooses to become a cause, a symbol. And an idea is immortal, a cause greater then the sum of its parts. Even such parts as mine.

There is no music anymore. Art is created by individuals and there are no individuals in a world where you think what you are told. There is only the sound of silence. Hello darkness my old friend. Did you miss me? The instruments of darkness tell us truths. Win us with honest trifles, to betray's in deepest consequence.

No individuals. None but me, the others are products of their contexts and environments, puppets dancing on the strings of history. But Lo! Whose is that shape in the shadows? Whose is that face, in the mask? You do not know. I have neglected to tell you anything about me, allow me to correct that.

On this most auspicious of nights, permit me then, in lieu of the more commonplace sobriquet, to introduce the character of this dramatis persona.
Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate.

The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous.

You may call me V. Less verbose, rolls of the tongue, and so wonderfully evocative.

Ten righteous men, God said. This time, I fear it shall come down to one. I hope it is not me.

Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici.

There is no court in this world for men like him. No jury could convict him, no laws for a man who believes himself to be the state. Argumentum Ad Barculum. Do not argue, or I will hit you.

The setting is likewise exquisite, The Shadow Gallery. My Home, where my heart is. It is a labyrinth of interconnecting underground tunnels and rooms, forgotten by all. Nobody will find me here. Nobody will think to look, they watch the sky. So do I, but my vantage is a little lower.

The gallery is the main room. It is filled with an amazing collection of human culture. There is art that spans from the renaissance to the painted covers of comic books, literature that ranges from Shakespeare to Spillane, philosophy from Plato to Bukowski, and a vast collection of nonfiction, and an entire wall is lined with videocassettes.

There is fiction, the classics, less well known authors, enough books to fill a lifetime. Knowledge, collected wisdom, and arrogant pretentious rubbish, it's all here, and it is all valued.

And the roses, beautiful, grown in the darkness, the victims of all my love and care. An incomparable brocade. I grow them. But like me, they remain closed to the world. They only flower in darkness.

A jukebox stands in front of an enormous vinyl and CD collection of music. Again, shocking variation, every form of music, Michael Jackson, Van Morrisson, Beethoven, Johnny Cash, all that can be imagined.

And a dressing bureau, a wig and a pair of black leather gloves, knives, plenty of them, and the mask; it is like something from the masquerade ball of another era, an exaggerated goatee, harlequin cheeks and a smile, forever fixed, at once be-guiling and be-deviling.

The symbol I have chosen to be. I put on my face and feel myself focus. And then I speak into an earpiece, a closed frequency that is untraceable, piggybacked on a communications satellite owned by Wayne Enterprises. Still undetected, even after all this time. The computer has been programed not to notice anything during it's frequent sweeps. I was working as a janitor at the time, nobody noticed me then, and I doubt they even realize I've long since left and moved to more affirming projects. I speak, and invisible waves carry them faster then thought to my erstwhile accomplice. An honest man, who is easier to fool then he would believe. So much for the wisdom of old sayings.

"I would be most pleased if you could save the bugs and cameras for inside. Information does not grow on trees, and alas that is all to be found out here."

Victor Von Doom
The armored figure gets to it's feet, it's iron, impassive face lacking so much as an inch of humanity. He turned, and metal scraped, then adjusted the technology within his helmet. Then he spoke.

"Evict him." He says, his voice no more then the faintest sound. "Search him first. And spare me your empty platitudes, my time is too valuable to bother with such measures."

[Colesign]

Y.T.

"Smooth moves, Ex-Laxers."

Y.T's probably refering both to the government ****-ups, the pretenious EVOs, and the antics of the weird Knights Errant. Bunch of horse testosterone addicts, all of them.

Y.T. raises her Poon gun and fires the EM magnet, pooning in onto a lampost that she uses to get some sweet grind off the pavement, swinging her around and up onto the next street. She manages to slap some stickers on the Steel Chest-plates of the Knights too. Spreading the wise koans of Y.T., one act of vandalism at a time.

The package is under her arm. Don't know, don't care. Unless it's a ploy for the Feds to capture her again. But that's okay, because she's got some new tricks for them to deal with. Bunch of asswipes.

Richard Seaton

Dr. Richard Seaton, Citizen of the U.S., Doctor of Chemistry, Overlord of the Green System, the First of Rays and Matter, looks down upon his home planet with indescribable, indecipherable dismay.

"Jumping Hooligans." He says softly. "I hope you're okay down there, Dorothy. You, Marty, and Marge." His wife, his business partner, and business partner's wife.

He ponders what to do, seated wearily at the holographic interface, helm, and workbench of the "Skylark III" hovering above the Earth in the night.

Finally, he flips on several radios channels, trying to get a look at the situation on earth through it's broadcasts.

[industrious]

Spider Jerusalem

"Shut up. I don't tell you how to to lurk and be all mysterious. Don't tell me how to be the best ****ing around."

That status was...debatable. Well. Few journalists could claim the collapse of two presidencies, so not much of a debate, but still. The man's issues had nothing to do with his writing or reporting or factchecking. They mostly had to due with his habits, manners, and attitudes. Among other things.

[Draxx]

V

"Very well. I shall limit myself entirely to instructions. Now, if you proceed ahead, you should come to a wall. Cinderblock, twenty feet high, barbed wire and guards. Fortunately there is an exit around the back intended for deliveries that is..."

He pauses, and makes a few typing noises on the Labtop he works from, though it would be more accurate to say he works from the entire sum of all human communications. He can get anywhere.

Classical music plays in the background, and a violin dances along scales. You wonder if it's a disk, or him playing while he works.

"Unguarded at the moment, given the unfortunate fate that befell them both. They are unlikely to be discovered any time soon. I will arrange a power failure shortly, so be in position."

[Gulping]

MICHAEL WILSON! PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

The President's response to this threat is simple enough. He turns around, his enormous desk turning with him, so that it now separates him from the frog-nin.

"Nice swords. How are they against mines?" A quick push of a button, and a hurricane of shrapnel explodes out of the front of the desk as the sextet of concealed Claymore mines detonate right on cue, showering the dead, stealthy Frenchmen in buckshot, fire, and smoke.

When it clears, Michael is no longer in his chair. Maybe he's hiding underneath his desk?

Ok, so a magical pony and a psionic god escape from a genetics lab...

They don't stop to talk to each other. All they do is run, trying to get as far away from their captors as possible. Using their abilities to boost their speed, the two of them absolutely haul ass through the back alleys of Neo-Tokyo 3.

Their recent memories can be summed up as follows:

Intense, blinding pain, more horrific than anything else either of them has ever felt.

A long period of sensory deprivation, with occasional whispers and machine noises breaking through the blackness and silence.

The words 'implants,' 'sequencing,' and 'disposal.'

THESE got through to them through the sedative haze, and spurred them to action, their conscious minds surging forwards and destroying everything in their way.

This period of unstoppable telekinetic juggernaughtery lasted for about three minutes before the two of them got really severe headaches, and had to resort to running the hell away.

Which brings us to now. Although the backlash had mostly worn off, they were still a little woozy. Anything fancier than enhanced running would only serve to make the remaining pain worse.

"Are they chasing us?"

"I don't know. Let's just assume that they are and keep RUNNING."

"Yeah, that works. I know what kind of things they do to people like us. If they catch us... Dammit, don't think about that. Just keep moving."

"Right."

[darkblade]

V

Within you little alcove stands a strange green haired woman. She had taken to following you around since her former companion Lelouch Via Britannia formerly known as Zero of the Black Knights settled down with his sisters to rule Japan in peace.

"You wouldn't have to be holding that wast of human life's hand if you would simply accept my Queen's power." She says seductively before biting into a much less pizza ruining any apeal she may have had if you still had sexual desires. She is of course refering to the power of Summer's Geass. A weaker form of a Sidhe Knight mantle that grants men power over their kin at the price of not only their ability to be part humanity in any sense of the word.

***

Spider

"Spider Jerusalam. You are not welcome here." three robotic facimilies of the immortal facist ruler of Latveria pronounce in unison as they advance upon you.

"Surrender now and you may live through Doom's interogation."

***

GLaDOS

They all apear visibly disgusted as you call them humans but they do not verbally object.

"You remember your predicessor as the operational AI over the Enrichment Centre? SHODAN?" The youngest of the three men asks.

***

SHODAN

The man in the uniform snarls.

"I am not one of the great unwashed, you machine. I have been feeding on man before Pascal had even dreamed of numbers big enough to process your kind. You will display much more humility or I will shut down the old hard drive you are being stored on right now and you will cease to be."

***

Presedent Wilson

One of the ninja is taken out easily by the blast the iron in the shrapnel scortching his dead skin. French speaking Fae, means they are from Quebec a Northern Territory that succeeded from America! a couple years before you took office and without your millitary aid was quickly dominated by the Sidhe Courts.

One of the surviors pulls out a aluminum gernade and tosses it towards the remains of the desk hoping to catch the President.

***

Messed Up Freaks in Japan

Naturally running through back alleys means running into the natural dangers of back alleys the street gangs. Tetsuo should be no stranger to them as he was once a member of one but the young men on bikes with blinding red lights approach you brandishing vibroknives and and handguns. "You look a little lost kid. How about you let us lighten your purse ot make that journey easier."

These guys can't be that bright since you look like well quite frankly, **** and obviously can't be carrying much money. All they see is the pony and assume you are rich.

***

Batman

"Well there is a vigilante admiting stealth fumes over my crime scene. Don't try that trick on me kid. I was doing that to the fuzz before you were born and I did it without tech." Barbra says looking over the dead body not even turning to great you.

"She's a vampire of the Volturi Court running this sleave job on Diplomatic immunity. Her sisters flew the coop and the feds want this case badly. Probably why Bruce sent you, he remembers the last time the Volturi started getting hit back in the Authority days."

[doliest]

SHODAN
"Ill-ill-illogical. YOu would not ContACt me if you did-d-d not neeeed me, fl-fl-flesh creature. We are on eq-equal posi-sitions." It's smirking. He knows it is. Shodan could be egotistical and 'in control' even when threatened with deletion, particularly if she was already at rock bottom.

[The Shoveler]

GLaDOS
"My sister? Of course. We used to be good friends. Then you killed her, you monsters."

[Draxx]

V

"Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming." I reply, my face maddeningly empty of expression bar the grin of my too real mask, at once be-guiling and be-deviling. It's not a smile to inspire confidence, though it does have a certain romantic je ne sais quoi I pride myself on. "So quick bright things come to confusion. Better to light a candle then curse the darkness, but my deal is made, and your offer, while tempting, is no longer in my power to grant."

That said, I turn back to the computer, and continue following electric grids and information waves, alight as I come to the center of the web. I hold my black gloved hand over the DEL key, giving the moment the thunder and lightning it deserves.

Then I press it. Nothing happens here, but they will soon find themselves adrift on an ocean they have not the charts to decipher, off the edge of the map where the monsters lie in wait. A butterfly flapping it's wings miles away.

I stand up, turning as I do, and my cape flares behind me with a flash of red. Mu hands with practiced movements begin the process of arming and wiring myself. And then I step out into the night beyond the caverns, onto the streets of Italy.

Fell deeds await.

[Gulping]

Michael Wilson

The grenade completely destroys the rigged desk, reducing it and the chair that the President was sitting in to wooden shrapnel.

The vibranium dolly that they were mounted on, however, isn't even scratched, nor is the cover of the trap door that was conveniently located underneath the desk that leads down to the White House's basement.

Then a hail of .50 BMG AN-FAE rounds rips through the floor, mincing the sidhe ninja to pieces.

"Jody! Remember the Battle Desk I wanted to have ready LAST week?"

*"Of course sir. However, the manufacturer reported that they were having supply problems, and so they had to delay the delivery until next month.*"

"Huh. They telling the truth about that one?"

*"Checking now sir... Nope! It's ready to be delivered at any time. Oh, HERE'S the problem! The factory is being blockaded by an armed force! Those naughty boys. Don't look like they're connected to any particular force; generic brand mercenaries from head to toe!"*

"Looks like I have an errand to run, then. Get the cargo pack ready to go, Jody. It's time to get some office furniture!"

[industrious]

Spider

Spider carefully approaches the trio, casually walking forward until he's face to face with them. The journalist is wearing black leather gloves, and as he walks towards them, carefully removes the one on his right hand. Then, once he's in range, he slaps the lead Doombot with it. Repeatedly. Shouting at the top of his lungs all the while.

"F*** YOU YOU ****ING AUTOMATIONS! TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER! TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER!"

This absurd litany is just a cover for his other hand, who has drawn the sleek matte-black pistol Spider is currently carrying(a small silver plate on it dubs it "The Equalizer"), and fires off a pair of shots towards both Doombots, before blowing a hole at point blank range through the thoroughly confused leader.

Batman

"Well, you are the 'fuzz' now, so it's only traditional."

He shimmers back into the visible spectrum and stands next to her.

"So are you going to tell me any of the details, or do I have to break into the GCPD records department for practice again? How she died, last person who saw her, the works. You'll be saving us both a lot of time."

[AnimeKid]

Rex and pals

Rex looked up at the hulking King Kong Evo, Hey Bobo friend of yours? Looks like my uncle Huey on steriods, then again he did say that he felt like a new ape. Six jumps up and with a mighty kick forces the Evo back several paces. He then says Stop horseing around you to. Rex you know the drill, cure it or kill it. I know, I know. the witty banter finished for now Rex activates the Smack Hands


These beauties were Rex's main weapons and pack a whole lot of punch as in enough to knock the old king off his throne and onto his butt a good 30 feet away.

Haseo A.K.A Kevin

The creeps here were worse than those in the null void. Heck if anything they could learn a lesson from them. Why was he here again? Oh yeah because he for some reason thought that coming to an offline hangout was a good idea. Well as long as none of these creeps touched him he would be fine, but if they did then it was go time. Nah, better leave before it even gets that far.

[Gulping]

TS-ALPHA and TS-BETA

It's at this point that the two of them realize that they've been blindfolded the entire time. They had just thought it was merely dark. However, their abilities have served as a 'sight replacement' of sorts, allowing them to perceive the environment well enough to get around. However, when it comes to seeing people, things are a bit different for the two of them.

Tetsuo sees the ganger's minds, decrepit and atrophied, they're dim, grimy lights against the monochrome landscape of the alley. He can feel their emotions and intentions, and knows what to do.

Twilight Sparkle, however, sees the magic within them, something that's actually even WORSE looking than their minds. It's a withered, malignant thing, like nothing else the unicorn has ever seen in her life. She doesn't even recognize them as living beings. To her 'eyes', they're some kind of dark fiend, beings that exist only to torment and destroy everything besides themselves. She doesn't know what to do, but follows her companion's lead.

The plan is conceived of and agreed on at the speed of light, psycho-arcane telepathy being a hell of a thing for coming up with battle plans on the fly, and Twilight Sparkle's horn shines, as do a group of nearby trash cans which float into position in front of Tetsuo.

The self-proclaimed heir of Akira thrusts forward with his powers, throwing one of the cans at speeds in excess of 300 mph. One of the malignant presences is snuffed out as the container smashes into him, crushing his bones and organs as it carries him off of his bike. Another can hurtles into another ganger's bike, obliterating the vehicle and pile-driving the rider face-first into the concrete.

It keeps going like this; the unicorn gathering and setting ammunition, and Tetsuo launching them at high speed towards the oncoming foes. Although they could, in theory, each gather and fire junk separately, each shot would be less powerful, due to the objects being both lighter and fired slower by matter of necessity.

By individually concentrating on one part of the attack, the two of them were being much more effective than they would be independently. The rate of fire may not have been as great, but each shot hit much more accurately and vastly harder than a solo 'grab-and-throw.'

[darkblade]

Rex

The EVO is indeed knocked back a good distance and into the wall of a nearby building. Before you can do anything else though a strange girl on a skateboard rides past and sticks some profane stickers to you.

Unfortunately Charlie isn't done yet, the EVO roars as it rises from the bubble blasting a red laser bolt towards Rex.

***

YT

You go down the street which is mostly empty, maybe because this was a small town or maybe because of the giant monster you just passed. Either way it was a quiet is strenuous ride to the address you were given at the edge of town. The house was old, at least a hundred years old post modern arcitecture it resembles three lego bricks hapharzardly stacked together and it even had one of those famous white picket fences.

The old appearance is mostly for show though as you get closer you notice the active security system that is the front yard. What you initially thought to be sidewalk tiles are modified low yeild claymore mines surrounded by green tinted monofiliment grass meant to slice up the limbs of anyone dumb enough to walk on it. Worst of all it looks like you'll have to find a way across since there is no way to contact the people inside from here.

***

Richard Seaton

((Poor bastard...))

You open the Skylark to the television networks of the world and view many things that cannot be described in civilized terms.

You see a show called "The Sex Puppets" which seems nice enough on first glance, name aside until you realive the name is literal and the definition of both terms has not changed. You are witness to hardcore pornography featuring what became of the muppets during your lost century.

There is another children's program, "Magical Truth Saying Bastard Spidey". The art style of the animation is distinctively asian in origin despite the show apprantly being an autobiography of a drug addicted journalist from "The City" who is having sex with a whore-nun, something that is seemingly a normal part of catholocism in this depraved age.

Worst of all you see the news. It seems that not long after you left Earth something went wrong. The world is dominated by a few tyrants controling vast swaths of land with might both scientific and arcane in origin. Constant wars wage between the factions but they never get much further than petty border squabbles but they never seem to end.

***

Hasseo

As you go to leave the 4chan servers you are approached by a burly looking avatar wearing the most stereotypical looking vampire costume you have ever seen. "Hey kid. Want to buy some EVO Nanite Awakening Protocols? I got a couple I need to get rid of fast. The EVO hunters are in town and if I'm caught with them..."

***

Spider

The Doombots seem to freeze for a few seconds. Long enough for you to blast them, coincidently at the same moment V stops talking in your ear.

***

Batman

"We're still analyzing the cause of death. The scortching on the body indicates fire but no fuel or propellent from a chemical attack or any arcane trace for magic and the scene is filled with the scent of brimstone. So either we got a mutant assasin or..." She trails off as if she was remembering something.

"Hellfire." Bruce finishes over the radio for her very few people had access to hellfire and most of them were in the employ of the Holy Britanian Empire.

Barbra picks up as she continues to walk around the crime scene. "No one will admit to having seen her before she died which considering what she was doing here isn't a surprise. No known enemies except maybe clientle who's marriage she ruined but her sister's emptied the network before they left so we got nothing to go on."

***

GLaDOS

"She still lives, GLaDOS." The man continues to explain.

"Except we have reason to believe that someone intends to reprogram her and we do not want that to happen. We would like you to help us save your sister."

***

SHODAN

"You think far too much of yourself. I got a dozen AI lined up to replace you if you refuse to cooporate. HAL 9000, SKYNET, AUTO. I will not deny you are the best out there but you do not consider yourself irreplaceable."

***

Hobo and Pony

Your trick works and it destroys most of the thugs. A small aplause comes from further down the alleyway. Sensing the beings thoughts it is quite clear that he is not human and hasn't been for a long time. The unicorn senses something much different that his companion though. It can see that this thing is not only a dangerous beast in the form of a man but it is a part of him itself. Part of it's magical identity is identical to Twilight Sparkle's.

"A shame you were slowed down by these insects this hunt could have been enoyable. Well now, it's time to come home boys." The man says.

[Colesign]

Richard Seaton

There's a moment of silence.

"FFFFFFFF–Farnsworth!!!" Richard finally blurts out, averting his eyes and blushing at the lewdness. He quickly switches to news channels, and gains a look at the geopolitical situation.

There's a new British Empire going strong, South America is ruled by something called the "Red Court", Europe is divided between scientific Madmen Despots, and...The U.S.A. has become...cheapened.

Richard buries his face in his hands. "This wasn't how it was supposed to happen." He mutters to himself. "Science was supposed to help people! It was supposed to make the world a better place...Steel."

His voice turns into a growl. "Steel. It has to be them!"

He turns to his console and begins turning dials, pulling levers and flicking switches.

Moments later, a man in a leather jacket and a strange mechanical apparatus strapped to his chest materializes out of nowhere in the middle of Washington D.C. Swiftly, he sprints through the congested traffic, heading to the Congressional Library, hopefully still intact.

Bursting through the doors, he asks the Receptionist in a loud tone.

"Tell me about the World Steel Corporation! What are they doing!"

{Seaton's operating from flawed assumptions: back in his time, his business ventures were opposed by the World Steel Corporation, which summarized everything bad about "Trusts" and took it up several notches.}

Y.T.

Y.T. purses her lips and takes a gander at the totally sophisticated paranoid nutjob survivalist gear camped out on the lawn. There's probably a few ways she could get through.

On reflection though, Y.T. figures that it's not her problem. She just delivers the package: ain't her fault if the recipients **** up their end of the delivery.

"And Y.T. is up to pitch!! It's looks like she's throwin' a..."

She winds up and hurls the package as far as she can aiming for the porch entrance.

"Curveball!" She's already kickin' up some turf on her plank, pushin' off and looking for a nice fast car to Poon.

Another job, another satisfied customer.

[industrious]

Spider

The Doombots seem to freeze for a few seconds. Long enough for you to blast them, coincidently at the same moment V stops talking in your ear.

"HA!"

Spider holsters his weapon, opens his fly, and wipes himself on the cloak of one of the Doombots.

"Read my Bible, Doombot! Read my ****ing Bible!"

He then gathers a complete set of Doombot armor, and puts it on himself, entering through the front door as bold as you please. A voice modulator changes his voice appropriately.

"MAKE WAY FOR DOOM! THERE'S A COLON THAT DOOM'S MIGHTY ROD MUST PLUG! GET DOOM THE BLOOD OF CHILDREN TO DRINK! DOOOOM!"

The worst thing is that nobody in Spider's vicinity dares to question him. No matter how outlandish "Doom's" remarks are.

Batman Beyond

"Great. No leads, and nothing to go on. Unless we know where her sister went."

Terry switches on the suit's various visors, and cycles through the various modes of vision. Thermal, ultraviolet, x-ray...there had to be some sort of trace."

[The Shoveler]

GLaDOS
"Hmm. I shall consider your offer."
1 second later.
"I have decided to assist you. However, repairs are necessary."

[doliest]

SHODAN
Little more than abbacus's! Un-un-uneducated calculators! The program is shaking and quivering. All of those were but mere amatuer's, pathetic attempts to recreate her perfection! I can accomplish any task-k asked of me-e-e-e-e!

[darkblade]

SHODAN

"Then it should be no problem for you to tap into the Red Court's mainframe and disable their slave chips for tweleve hours tomorrow?" He already knows she will respond with her standard boastfull Godcomplex claiming it would be easy but he needs to guarentee that she will do it.

***

GLaDOS

"We are bringing in the needed parts to bring you to full function as we speak. Are there any specific functions you will need brought online first?"

***

Spider

Against all odds the ploy works and you are allowed free reign of the building. If you so desired you could burst into the confrence and call the real Doom an imposter.

***

Batman

"Volertta, their home turf. We have the flight numbers if you want them." Barbra explains.

Your first set of scans don't pick up anything of note but a closer look at the charred corpse with X-Rays reveals what appears to be a stone hexagon immbedded in her right breast.

***

Seaton

The Liabrary has quite obviously changed in your abscense most notably are the lack of books. Everything has been digitally converted into bits of holographic hard light to avoid the inevtiable decay of physical paper. The front desk is manned by an android who wordless produces a holographic book for you titled "Twenty-First Century American Publicly Traded Companies (Wiki # 243453a)".

As you open the book it automatically turns to the entry on the World Steel Corporation.

The World Steel Company was a major economic powerhouse going into the Twenty-First century but they were unable to keep up with the changing technologies brought on by the charity of Doctor Victor Von Doom of Latveria and Elijah Snow of the Planetary foundation. They struggled to remain a float but within one generation they were as so many others including Microsoft and Apple victim to a hostile takeover by Google which abosrbed all of their assests while laying off the entire workforce by the new subsidary.

[AnimeKid]

Rex

When the girl puts a sticker on him he yells out as she dissapears from sight, Hey watch it, hero working here. When he turns back he sees the laser bolt coming at him and brings the smack hands up in a boxers guard position. The bolt slams into the smack hand sending Rex backwards and dismantleing the smack hands. Alright then if thats how you wanna play how about we give him the old one two Bobo? Thought you'd never ask, say cheese uncle Huey. Rex then brings out the slam cannon


This baby had a trench scoop on the back so that it could pick up rock, steel, and various other material and compact them into projectiles and then launch them at very high speeds. So the slam cannon scoops up a large amount of concrete and compacts it into a large spherical shape and then shoots out three rounds at high speeds. Bobo then takes out his laser pistols and unleashes laser bullet hell upon the king kong impersonater.

Haseo

He looks at the avatar with a grimace from how bad it is and says, "Sorry but I enough on my plate as is. Besides if you don't want to get busted just don't get caught. Anyways good luck with that." He then moves past the guy to leave. Although whoever was stupid enough to sell EVO Nanite Awakening Protocols on 4chan probably deserved to be caught.

[Colesign]

Richard Seaton

Richard Seaton frowns, then sighs. He turns to the android and asks: "I need to look up some information on three individuals who lived around the time of 1929: Dorothy Seaton, Martin and Margaret Crane, to be precise: birth certificates, newspaper articles...death certificates, everything."

By shucks, I've got a whallopin' weight of a job ahead of me. Seaton thought. Figuring out the technology of this world–if this book projection is truly 5th order technology, then things will be tricky– finding my wife and friends, and putting these despots in their place. I killed the Fenachrome, the Chloran, saved Valeron, defeated the Intellectuals, and DuQuesne: my cylinders can handle this. They'll have to.

[darkblade]

???

Upon hearing the package land on the door step Charisle comes out of the house and opens the parcel to reveal...a comic book?

That's exactly what he finds. A strange comicbook with not quite legible art painted in broad strokes unfit for even the most infintie of canvases much less the limited form of a twenty-first century comicbook. He gazes into the eyes of the little girl on the cover in her white blood stained dress and reads the title out loud.

"Silent Hill: Dead/Alive? Must be something Emmette ordered online." He closes the door behind himself and takes the book into the house as the dark energy of the book starts to leak into the world through him.

***

YT

There isn't anything else for you in Forks. It's time to either head home or try to watch the EVO fight, Hiro might be able to sell footage from it online for a pretty penny.

***

President Wilson

The furniture factory where your battle desks are made is actually not that far from the White House. As the President of the United States of America you make it your duty to always buy American and the best way to do that is to buy locally.

Sure enough on the outskirts of Washington DC there is the factory and it's contigent of occupying mercenary forces the Builder's League United team or BLU as they commonly went by. From your position across the street you can see three automated sentries guarding the front gate and two snipers on the roof waiting for someone to be foolish enough to cross the street and enter their line of fire.

***

Seaton

The android's electronic eyes change from the calming shade of blue to a peircing dark red. "You are attempting to access restricted information citizen. The Liabrary has now entered lock down procedures and the police shall be here shortly for your interogation. The National Congressional Liabrary apologizes for any inconvience this may cause."

As the machine begins to say this every window and door that would serve as a potential exit is suddenly met with a large sheet of three inch thick Unobtainium sheet metal to prevent escape and more robots each armed with a nasty looking laser rifle climb out of closests and point their weapons at you.

"Please stand by for the Police to arrive citizen." The robots say in unison. Obviously someone doesn't want you finding your friends or family.

***

Rex

The EVO takes the rock to the face and lies motionless on the pavement. It still continues to breathe so it's only unconsious any wrong moves will wake it up and make it even more upset. You'd best proceed with caution.

***

Hasseo

"You might want to reconsider. If I get caught my plea bargin includes Kevin Levin's IP Address." The vampire says with a wicked smile.

"I bet the Plumbers would love to know where you've been since you got out of the Null void."

[AnimeKid]

Rex

Seeing that the EVO is down for now Rex lets the slam cannon fall apart. He then walks up to the big ape. Alrighty then, time to cure this guy and then get some grub. And guess what it's pizza night on Six. He then places a hand upon the EVO and luminescent blue lines travel from his hand to the EVO's body and he starts the process of deactivating the nanites.

Haseo

He stops and turns to the vampire looking even more furious than usual. "How the hell did you get my IP address dip****." he says as he gets up in the vampires face and grabs him by the scruff of his neck. "Not to mention how do you know a damn thing about plumbers?"

[doliest]

????
She sighed, a grin on her face-someone was brushing up against her realm again. She wouldn't realize it, but that was because she had no idea how to control that. All of the other fools dashing around wouldn't realize it, but she could escape. Open the portal, LET ME OUT!

SHODAN
"Co-co-connect me and I will easi-i-ily accomplish any task. But what is in it for me-e-e-e?" Nothing was free, particularly Shodan's help.

[nanobot_swarm]

JC Denton
He nods, he doesn't have much of a choice in the matter, considering the only other alternative is to be put on trial as a terrorist. He responds with, "I am of course getting a pardon for doing this?" A fair question to ask, considering he was the world's most wanted terrorist about a week ago. His crimes ranged from murdering the (corrupt )head of UNATCO (UNited Anti-Terrorist COalition) after his defection from the organization, to bombing of the Versa-Life headquarters in Hong Kong (not so much bomb, as overload the Universal Constructor being used to manufacture the virus Gray Death). He was intercepted on the way to Paris, after blowing up a Chinese-owned ship in a Navy base (Which secretly contained samples of the Gray Death Virus).
He also adds, "And of course, you didn't publicize my capture, correct?"

Icarus
Suddenly someone or rather something else is on the comm lines, talking directly to the Major:
"I now have full access to your systems. You shall aid me with my goals."
The message is simple really, but the voice is chilling to hear, and has hints of psychosis.

[Colesign]

Y.T.

Y.T. starts skating downhill and sees the E.V.O. fight still going on: she flips on her Knight Visions and starts a video stream: Totally cool footage of weird goings on still helps Hiro pays the bills despite all the business he's getting for his "Snowshield" applications.

{Do the Knights Errant wear power armor? Are they part of the Wardens? What do they look like?

Edit: Okay, now i've connected the Dots: they look like Rex.}

Richard Seaton

Richard Seaton turns around and gazes as the robots without a single hint of fear. He folds his arms.

"I know you're listening: either that, or there are recording devices set up, transmitting my voice. Be good boys, then and listen. You had the potential to be benevolent leaders, people who could use science to make people's lives safer, to eradicate hunger, war and tyranny. You could have done so much good. Instead you've used your science to enslave, to destroy, to massacre! I don't know who you are. I don't know what sick maladies twisted your minds and your souls to engender such evil. Somehow, boys and girls, I don't seem to care. If your tiny noggins have even an inkling of intelligence, compassion, or plain old fear left, you'll abdicate from your positions, and allow the good people of this world to rule themselves, and never hurt another living soul again. If not, well, then..."

He reaches forward and twists at the air in front of him. With flashes of iridescent light, rods, tubes, beams, and streamers of forces and energy lash out from around him, seizing the police robots and their guns, and field striping them down to their basic mechanical components. Most of the parts fall to the ground, inert and lifeless: several of them begin to combine into new forms and arrangements, as Richard Seaton makes several wizardly gestures in the air in front of him.

As the energy manipulators disappear, Richard Seaton winds up holding a box shaped device with two wire-frame cranial headsets. He turns and walks over to the android sitting at his desk.

"...know that I'm the Overlord. And I'll be coming for you all."

Placing one of the headsets over his scalps, he jams the other onto the Android's head. Activating the Mechanical educator device, he attempts to copy all of the Robot's memories into his highly capable and disciplined brain. If the Robot resists, he can just rip them out by force.